Fans invited to welcome Saints to Lewisburg

MARCUS CONSTANTINO/DAILY MAIL
Fans will be flocking to the new facility constructed for the New Orleans Saints training camp at The Greenbrier.

CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect the location of public parking and shuttle pick-up for guests.

The New Orleans Saints will touch down in Lewisburg today for the second half of the team’s preseason training camp, and officials hope residents will give the team a warm welcome as its bus drives through downtown Lewisburg.

Greenbrier spokeswoman Jessica Wright said the Saints are scheduled to land at Greenbrier Valley airport at 4 p.m. today. From there, the team will board a bus and make its way down U.S. 219 into Lewisburg. The bus will take a left onto U.S. 60 and follow the road to The Greenbrier Hotel.

Wright said Greenbrier owner Jim Justice and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton want the players to feel welcome to Greenbrier County and are hoping fans will line the streets to welcome the team.

Registration is still open for tickets for the “Picnic with the Saints” event on Saturday, July 26. A grand opening ceremony will kick off the festivities at 3:30 p.m., followed by tours of the new practice facility as the team practices outside from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m.

The picnic with players and coaches will begin at 6 p.m. Fans will have opportunities to get autographs and pictures with players and coaches during the picnic.

Tickets are $10 and are available at greenbrier.com/picnic on a first come, first served basis.

The Saints’ first practices at The Greenbrier are scheduled for Friday, July 25 from 8:50-11:40 a.m. and 4:30-5:30 p.m. Shuttles will run between the training facility and public parking at the West Virginia state fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m Friday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Shuttles will also run between the facility and The Greenbrier for guests at the hotel.

Contact writer Marcus Constantino at 304-348-1796 or marcus.c@dailymailwv.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/amtino.